File #: 24-166    Version: 1
Type: Other Proposal Status: Passed
File created: 7/19/2024 In control: Judicial Council
On agenda: 9/20/2024 Final action: 9/20/2024
Title: Equal Access Fund | Distribution of Funds for CARE Act Legal Representation (Action Required)
Attachments: 1. 20240920-24-166 - updated 20240823

Title

Title

Equal Access Fund | Distribution of Funds for CARE Act Legal Representation (Action Required)

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Summary

Summary

Judicial Council staff recommend approving the distribution of $18,761,000 to the Legal Services Trust Fund Commission of the State Bar of California for the implementation of the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act as authorized by the Budget Act of 2024. The commission will distribute a portion of these funds through the Equal Access Fund as grants to qualified legal services projects to provide legal counsel for representation in CARE Act proceedings or to county public defender offices or public defender services shared with another county or organization providing public defender services to the county in the event that no qualified legal services project is available to provide representation; to qualified support centers or other entities that have expertise in providing legal training and technical assistance to legal aid providers or public defenders related to the implementation of the CARE Act; and to the State Bar of California for administration of this program.

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Recommendation

Recommendation

Judicial Council staff recommends that the Judicial Council, effective September 20, 2024, approve the distribution of $18,761,000 to the Legal Services Trust Fund Commission of the State Bar of California for the implementation of the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment Act, as authorized by the Budget Act of 2024.

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